State of the Arts Centers
“The more the merrier”

The Scottsdale Center for the Arts celebrates its 30th anniversary. The president, Frank Jacobson sees that SCA has to offer something different from Gammage or Kerr. “We bring in all sorts of programs to Scottsdale that bespeak of world cultures.”

Scottsdale’s annual Art Festival in March hosts different artists every year. Out of 900 artists applying for a spot, 200 are chosen to show and sell at the beautiful mall of the Scottsdale Civic Center. AmericanStyle magazine voted this Art Festival the best of all the art fairs in the nation in the year 2005.

Phoenix Theatre has scheduled the nearly True Story of the Mamas and the Papas, Kampalooza, and Dream a Little Dream during the spring ’07 performing season.

Tempe Center for the Arts slated to open in 2007, offers 200-seat studio theater, a 600-seat main stage and 3,500-square-foot art gallery. Tempe’s $65.7 million public arts center project began 1990. Located at the south shore of Tempe Town Lake, and visible from Loop 202. The unusually shaped sub-roof will be coated with a concrete overlay, giving it a gray finish. Scheduled performances Ballet Arizona Ballet Under the Stars, “But it’s the dry heat” and Childsplay 30th Anniversary exhibition, etc.

Eight miles to the west of people-packed Mill Avenue are Phoenix’s performing halls. Seven miles to the north are Scottsdale’s arts center, nightclubs, cinemas and galleries. Ten miles to the southeast is Chandler Center of the Arts. Mesa has an arts center that is a 212,775 sq.ft. performing arts, visual arts, and arts education facility. Located downtown at Center and Main Streets.

First Friday Artwalk showing downtown Phoenix art, is one of the oldest artist-run, all volunteer arts organizations in downtown Phoenix. Phoenix’s biggest annual artwalk, Art Detour.In 1994, began the monthly First Fridays artwalk, which has grown to become perhaps the largest monthly artwalk in the United States. Â With over 90 arts venues open free to the public each month, artlink’s First Fridays has succeeded in bringing people back to downtown. Also, First Friday is an opportunity for people with political beliefs, condos to sell, petitions to sign, or other information to share to be out and about. More information also from: Roosevelt Row